Special Committee on COVID-19 requests Gov. Ige to put public health alert network system into place

Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 requests Governor Ige to put into place a public health alert network system

In a letter dated March 31, 2020 addressed to Governor David Ige, the members of the Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 requested that his administration and the Department of Health “put in place as soon as possible a public health alert network system to provide critical information and reminders about COVID-19.”

The Special Committee feels that more aggressive messaging to the public is needed as the rules and guidelines for social distancing and sheltering-in-place are not being seriously followed in light of the alarming growth of the pandemic in the U.S.

Text alert systems have been implemented in two counties in Southern California, San Diego and Los Angeles. “Public Safety Alerts are critical to remind both residents and visitors that in order to save lives, stay home,” the letter to the Governor reads. “This includes reminding everyone that beaches, trails, recreation areas, and other public spaces are closed. Social distancing is one of the few tools currently available to fight the spread of the virus.”

The Special Committee points out in the letter that South Korea officials found that emergency texts sent three to five times a day were effective in reducing community spread, as the text messages detailed exact locations and movements of people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Regular reminders and instructions were also sent out early on on how to prevent the virus from spreading, with instructions on social distancing, hand washing, coughing etiquette, and how to care for seniors.

Because of those efforts, South Korea has managed to significantly slow the number of new cases and “flattened the curve.”

Also in the letter, the Special Committee asks that Governor Ige -- including the Department of Health and other appropriate members of his administration -- to schedule a daily briefing to provide the public with information on COVID-19. “This will help in assuring that the community is receiving the same information on a timely basis.

“The committee requests a response on the strategy and timeline to establish this text alert system and the confirmation on scheduling a daily public briefing by 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 1,” with the Special Committee’s emphasis on timeliness in bold.